Cases more than doubled during COVID-19 pandemic
An increase in cases has led to an increase in funding for British Columbia’s Human Rights Tribunal and Community Legal Assistance Society.
The province will top it up to as much as $4.5 million per year after the number of cases brought to the tribunal more than double over the past three years.
The tribunal attributes the “unprecedented spike” in cases to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the number in 2019 of 1,460 cases balloon to 3,192 in 2022.
The Community Legal Assistance Society provides free legal services to those who file human rights complaints but need financial assistance. It says calls to the inquiry line doubled in 2020.
Emily Ohler is the chair of the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal and said this in a press release:
``This much-needed funding will help the tribunal better meet the specific needs of Indigenous Peoples and better meet the increased demands for resolution of discrimination complaints, ensuring everyone who needs it can access appropriate recourse under the B.C. Human Rights Code.''
A tribunal report found the number of Indigenous people filing complaints was disproportionately low and as a response, added Indigenous identity as protected under the B.C Human Rights Code.
The funding from the province is meant to help implement recommendations from that report.
